MY CALL - OAKLEIGH GIRL AND AMBITIOUS BLONDE PRODUCE TWO OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES

By David Fowler | Tuesday, December 17, 2013

David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.

Don't let anyone tell you Oakleigh Girl and Ambitious Blonde didn't deliver the best Magic Million trials after Saturday's Listed Calaway Gal Stakes.

I was surprised the "half knock" Oakleigh Girl earned from some.

Both winner and runner-up delivered outstanding performances.

Oakleigh Girl was a known quantity and her natural speed from the barriers will always be a significant asset.

Ambitious Blonde went into the race totally short on match practice and had to "face the breeze", sitting outside of Oakleigh Girl.

Yet they paired off to fight it out, stopping the clock at a brilliant 57.63. The time is the clincher.

Black Minx previously held the Doomben two-year-old race record of 58.37 so Saturday's gallop is outstanding even allowing for the quick track.

Gai Waterhouse's Echo Gal impressed me in a recent Warwick Farm midweek triumph but the Calaway Gal is the defining formline.

At this stage.

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There wasn't a line in the stewards’ report to mention the improvement of first race winner Borehole.

Beaten 7.1 and 8.6 lengths at his past two runs after two impressive wins.

I can tell you the 8.6 was when he over-raced at 2400m and I can tell you the 7.1 was on an unsuitable heavy track surface.

But it's not my responsibility to tell you the punting public.

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Eagle Farm's closure during a Carnival time is ill timed.

Let me also say, trainers can't whinge about the state of the track and then ask why we're not racing on it.

The whole issue of Eagle Farm's track renovation is starting to fray tempers beyond an accepted level.

And don't forget Doomben. Tomorrow's rail has to go out to an undesirable 10m to protect an inside pad for Saturday.

That means lesser numbers running and potentially slowly-run races.

The industry is united to see the Eagle Farm makeover but the wheels are moving too slowly at higher levels.

And, by the by, the Phelan Ready and Calaway Gal should have been run at 1110m not 1010m.

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The newly-formed Queensland Racing Media Association kicked off with a bang on Sunday, celebrating Spring Achievers and awarding five life memberships.

And a great cross section of the industry mixed socially, an opportunity rarely afforded these days.

Until next week.

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